TOKYO EVENTS
✤ SUMIDAGAWA FIREWORKS FESTIVAL
Every year on the last Saturday of July, the sky over the Sumida River is illuminated as the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival takes place. Expect a warm evening, large crowds, lots of food and drink and thousands of fireworks. Fireworks can be viewed from many locations in Asakusa. As this is an urban fireworks display, there are no bleacher seats available. The best place to see the fireworks is by the river, but it is usually quite crowded, as nearly a million people visit each year.
✤ CHIYODA CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
Held in Kitanomaru Park with its fabulous cherry trees, the Chiyoda cherry blossom festival is one of the most popular in Tokyo. The trees are lit up at night and visitors can take a rowing boat out onto the moat of the ancient Edo castle. The boating hours are even extended into the evening during the festival so you can enjoy both at once. The park is surrounded by food stalls which provide plenty of opportunities to try some of the seasonal foods and traditional festival staples. The festival typically takes place between late March and early April.
✤ YOMIURILAND JEWELLUMINATION
Yomiuriland Jewellumination is the annual winter illumination held at Yomuriland, Tokyo's largest amusement park. Jewellumination is the world's first sparkling illumination created using LEDs that are inspired by jewel colours and produced by the world-renowned lighting designer Mikiko Ishii. Everywhere in this amusement park has been lit up by four million LED lights. There are five different sections with different colours and themes: Amusement Park, Aqua, Lovely stream, Cute, and Forest areas. There is also a dance show which is synchronised to the light and music.
✤ ASAKUSA YABUSAME
An opportunity to watch Yabusame, the impressive Japanese martial art of horse-mounted archery, the annual event is a highly interesting one. Yabusame (horseback archery) has its roots in the Kamakura period when samurai used the competition to improve their skills. The event typically takes place mid-April.